Love, me.

Race Day

Rae

I scanned my eyes nervously towards the sea, trying to catch a sighting of George, but everyone looked the same in their neoprene wetsuit and green swimming caps. I could not help feeling nerves and excitement coursing through my veins as I watched the triathletes trying to get away from a mess of arms and legs flailing in all directions, or at least that was how it looked like to me.

We had not spoken about the day I spent at hers again, although all I wanted was to snuggle next to her and feel her next to me. She had made me feel wanted, and cherished, nothing like I have felt in my past and present relationships. Her gentleness and soft skin was addictive, as I recalled how her smooth legs wrapped around mine. None of us wanted to upset the fragility of a new middle ground we found, as we agreed to take it slow the day I left hers. But this was too slow, that woman had a patience I did not possess.

The first swimmer running past me in the transition area brought me back to reality as she was followed by other groups of swimmers entering transition to get their bikes. I spotted George in the middle pack but she had the look of a fierce determination that I have come to admire as I watch her unzipping her wetsuit. Shaking away unclean thoughts that threaten to enter my mind, I quickly made my way to the bike course, hoping to catch her in action.

"Rae!" A familiar voice called out to me. Squinting, I made out three familiar faces in the crowd approaching me. 

"Hey Jem and Fergie... And Sonia!" I waved, trying to swallow my awkwardness when I realised Sonia came along as well. I have seen her flirting shamelessly with George and I did not like that, although George in no way reciprocated any of her advances.

"This is so cool! Have you managed to spot her?" Jem asked excitedly as she looked around.

"Yeah she just got onto her bike and started the cycling bit! Let's follow those people to the hilly bit as that where all the action will be!" I excitedly pulled Jem and Fergie along as Sonia followed behind, sighing at the thought of climbing the hill.

"Go George!!!!!!!" We screeched as we spotted her making her way up the hill. Her body glistened with sweat, and I could not help myself from ogling at her legs. As she peddled towards us, she raised her eyebrows and flashed us a grin, acknowledging our presence, before turning her focus back to the hill. "Not long more." I whispered under my breath, hoping  that she keeps herself safe. 

As the four of us made our way to the run transition, I glanced at the tracker on my phone which indicated that she was 10km from where we were. I waited in anticipation for her, as I know how much she had trained for this season. This race was her 'warm-up' race, a prelude to the bigger one in France in a months time. I marvelled at how she could push herself to train for such distances on top of our crazy work schedule; this woman never failed to amaze me.

"She's here!!!" Sonia screeched, bringing our attention back to the cyclist approaching the transition. Our excitement turned into horror when we saw her trying to avoid the cyclist in front of her who lost his balance, which caused her to go over the handlebars of her bicycle and have it fall on top of her. 

"George!" I cried out, wanting to attend to her, only to be pulled back by the race marshal.

"I'm sorry ma'am, you can't enter the race area!" He barked, as my friends held me. We watched as the medics attended to her and saw her wave them off as she stood up and inspected her bike. She stood up and hobbled gingerly before slowly jogging beside her bike into transition area, determined to finish her race. My heart ached at the sight of her limping, but I was relieved that nothing seemed broken. Fergie looked at me with an understanding smile as she pulled me close to her and whispered that George is tough as nails and will be fine, drawing a chuckle from me.

Before we knew it, George crossed the finish line with a triumphant look on her face. She spotted us and jogged towards us and excitedly filled us in that she achieved her personal best. My heart swelled with pride as I took all of her in- her cute french braids, her bruised and bleeding shoulder and knee where she landed and her smile that I can never get enough of. As hugs went around, she drew me into an embrace as she sneaked her peck on my neck when our friends were not looking. 

"Thanks for coming. I missed you." She whispered in my ears, as I drew her closer to my body, relishing our closeness once more. 

"Should we get going? Why are you hogging George all to yourself?" Sonia whined, eliciting a smirk from George, before she slung her arms around her shoulders, pulling her away from me. As they walked ahead towards the transition area to check on George's bike, I felt a wave of jealousy and felt a tap on my shoulders. Jem looked at me quizzically, before linking arms with me and Fergie and followed behind them.

"What's up between you and George?" Jem asked when everybody else was out of earshot. 

"It's nothing much." I shrugged nonchalantly as my gaze settled on the trio trying to sort out George's wrangled bike, not wanting to divulge too much about what happened almost a month ago. We have texted, but none of us were keen to take the first step to address the elephant in the room.

"I have eyes you know," Jem nudged my shoulder. "I can see the way you look at her whenever we hang out at the pub after work. You're not as discreet as you think you are." She teased.

I blushed furiously, worried that the cover I had tried so hard to hide behind is rapidly falling apart.

Sensing my reluctance to talk about it, Jem squeezed my arm and reassured me that she will be here when I am ready, and I nodded weakly in acknowledgement before we made our way to join our friends.